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Current potential research project

An integrated thermal system for the provision of hot water, space heating and cooling

  1. Supervisors: Prof. Wasim Saman
  2. Area: Mechanical Engineering, Sustainable Energy
  3. Abstract: The energy demand for air conditioning of both commercial and residential buildings has been escalating throughout the last decades. In Australia, space heating and cooling represents about 40% and domestic water heating about 30% of the energy demand of residential buildings. Solar water heating is a well-established technology. In Australia more market penetration of this technology is expected due to improved public environmental awareness and government’s financial inducements. Solar space heating systems, on the other hand, have not gained market acceptance due mainly to high initial cost. In addition, only a small amount of total annual heat collected by the system is eventually utilised due to the short heating season in most Australian population concentrations. Due to the absence of more viable systems in the market, consumers resort to reverse cycle air conditioning systems which provide both cooling and heating. With low initial costs, these systems are dominating the air conditioning markets, particularly in new housing. This, however, has resulted in dramatic increases in energy use and summer peak power demand with associated electricity generation and distribution requirements. Thermally driven cooling systems utilising solar energy is a promising option. Seasonal match between solar radiation availability and the building cooling load supports this argument. Solar liquid desiccant air conditioning which provides both cooling and dehumidification has been found to be technically viable. Numerical studies on the existing solar hot water systems revealed that despite the all year round demand for hot water, the “oversizing” of solar hot water system seems inevitable due to the need to adequately cover the winter peak hot water demand. This research will investigate the integration of the provision of heating, hot water, cooling and dehumidification for residential buildings. The purpose of the research will be to assess the technical viability of this integrated system through computer modelling and simulation combined with experimental validation.
  4. Related references: No reference provided

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